The decision to educate your toddler in a home setting depends on the family’s lifestyle and your toddler’s personality. Home schooling is a great way to bring out the best potentials of your little one. Thus, knowing which type of home school program suits your toddler the most is imperative.

There are various home school programs you can choose from. You can either select a single curriculum or combine two or more programs to further maximize your toddler’s development.

Calvert Home School Curriculum

Offered from kindergarten until grade 8, Calvert offers an excellent introduction which helps children nourish their education especially in the academic aspect. It is a home school program that is designed to deliver traditional yet modern teaching techniques which benefits toddlers regardless of their geographic location. Calvert is one of the most flexible home school programs that can adapt to any toddler’s specific needs. Its primary focus is on honing your child’s arithmetic, reading and writing. Once your toddler has mastered these 3, he can move on to study arts, history, music and science. Hence, he becomes physically, intellectually and psychologically ready by the time he starts grade 9.

Center For Learning

One of the most popular home schooling programs is the Center For Learning. This curriculum is available whether your little one is enrolled in a parochial, private or public home school from kindergarten until grade 12. It offers an excellent learning material that predominantly focuses on honing your toddler’s Language Arts, English, Drama and Social Studies skills. Religious materials are provided as well. This home school program is set-up as a conventional home education system with the added benefit of getting print and online classes.

The teachers are well-experienced. They can accommodate you and your toddler’s queries at any given time. Plus, a wide range of resources and different ideas of class execution (drawing exercises, audio lessons, online assignments, science projects, etc.) are available so you can be sure your little one will is well entertained throughout the course.

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason concentrates on 3 points – atmosphere, discipline and life. Education by atmosphere is the home setting of a toddler. Education by discipline is the implementation of good moral habits. Education by life is the academic aspect of a toddler with a strong emphasis on topics like English, Fine Arts, Literature, Music, Poetry and Reading. Method of learning is by having a toddler read something and then give an outline of what he has read using his own words.

Curriculum Associates

Publishes decisive and flexible learning materials that are based on a regular school’s curriculum. It has a computerized coach that can automatically identify the needs of every student and deliver more precise instructions. Focuses on arts, language, math and reading. For every lesson plan completed, your toddler is given a test preparation kit to help him prepare for his assessment exam via a diagnostic online test. With this modern program, you can track your toddler’s performance instantly. Curriculum Associates’ home school program also offers special education to children with special needs.

K12

K12 is an online public and private home school directed to suit the lifestyle of most American families. It is one of the largest sources of home based education that is tailored to fit each toddler’s needs and wants from kindergarten to grade 12. K12 has a 24-hour assistance feature and a combined online interactive learning and offline hands-on activities making it an award winning home school curriculum.

Montessori Home School Program

This type of home school curriculum is suitable for toddlers between ages 3 to 6. It is a good illustration of showing what life is. It uses the Montessori methodology and philosophy that is patterned to increase your toddler’s overall growth – his cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Rather than focusing on specific areas of academic learning, it teaches general life skills that are very valuable in helping students adapt, adjust and succeed in a world that is rapidly changing. Montessori program offers your toddler not just learning materials but a support group which helps him build a strong foundation throughout his kindergarten to preschool years.

Saxon

Saxon curriculum is centered on early learning like math and physics. It provides very detailed educational materials specifically in Math. Saxon home school program is recommended for parents who prefer their toddlers to excel in this field as it offers a step-by-step program – from instructions, to training, down to assessment which ensures retention of indispensable math skills.

During your child’s toddler years, it is important to keep his mind active. As a parent, you need to cultivate and motivate your toddler’s thirst for learning. Hence, you should always be on the lookout for fun and stimulating educational activities. Finding a good lesson plan will help you keep your little one entertained while at the same time stimulate his mind in preparation for preschool.

Being exposed to various lesson plans for toddlers will greatly benefit your child. These lesson plans are directed towards a structured and natural advancement of skills that is imperative to his learning process. Choose lesson plans that are appropriate for his age. Optimize his strengths, work on his weaknesses. And, focus on the most important parts of learning. Here is a list of the five best lesson plans for toddlers.

Lesson Plan # 1: Toddler Daily Lessons

Toddler daily lesson plans practices your little one’s skills by doing activities that he normally does on a daily basis. Also known as a daily life skill plan, this lesson plan is an excellent introduction to help your toddler easily adjust minus the pressure.

Simple activities such as washing of the hands, sweeping the floor, wiping the table, transferring one toy to another box helps him improve his motor and fine motor skills. Popular children songs and nursery rhymes involving finger play are incorporated to make your toddler dance and sing along to the music improving his sensory and retention of the alphabet, numbers, body parts and so on. Interactive books with music and foldable picture flaps are used to make your toddler read along with you enhancing his vocabulary, grammar and reading skills.

Lesson Plan # 2: Creative Resources For Infants and Toddlers

A well-loved book of toddler lesson plans by Judy Herr and Terri Swim. It centers on building a strong base for the interrelating, learning and thinking progression of children. This is a lesson plan that provides tips on how to spot your toddler’s developmental characteristics on a weekly and monthly basis along with fun and easy-to-do activities to help nurture your little one’s traits. This book also holds advanced recommendations (e.g. website links) to help you improve your teaching style.

Lesson Plan # 3: Itty Bitty Bookworm

A lesson plan that is focused on enriching toddler’s literacy and language skills to help boost other skills. Itty Bitty Bookworm is an easy, structured, teach-yourself lesson plan. A different book is used every week and all the exercises and projects done are focused around the story. Because toddlers function best with a book, the activities done boosts his creativity and allows him to play and discover things on his own.

Lesson Plan # 4: The Complete Resource Book For Toddlers and Twos

A book by Pam Schiller, this is a lesson curriculum that touches each part of your toddler’s development. In here, you will find 100 daily lessons about arts, crafts, songs, topics and activities all equally divided into different projects he can work solo or with a group. This will surely catch your toddler’s interest and will keep him busy and entertained for hours.

Lesson Plan # 5: Total Learning: Developmental Curriculum For The Young Child

A lesson plan created by Joanne Hendrick, it is a book that is aimed to help parents come up with their own lesson plan using the countless projects and topics found in the book. Instead of the book instructing you what to do, it assists you in creating an organized lesson plan based on your toddler’s budding interests, his needs and necessary improvements. Plus, it uses fill in the blanks, multiple choice and true or false self-exams to test your toddler’s learning.

With the help of lesson plans, your toddler’s learning and growth expands. Hence, it is essential that you make sure the lesson plan you pick for him fits his personality and needs perfectly.

As a parent, you only want to provide your toddler the best especially when it comes to his education. Quality is the number one factor you need to look for in a school. Because of their outstanding benefits, online home schooling has become the number one choice of parents. But, the question still remains. Can online home schooling fully optimize a toddler’s potential?

Yes, online home schooling is an effective means of educating toddlers. With a variety of teaching styles and courses available, parents can surely find a curriculum that fits well into their toddler’s lifestyle. Because learning is done in the comforts of your home, your toddler will be able to easily adapt and adjust to the changes as compared to a regular school. Here are some ways how online home schooling helps toddlers with their education:

It Blends With Your Toddler’s Lifestyle

If your toddler learns best in a home setting, online home schooling helps him focus and maximize his capabilities. Just like a regular school, an online school has a certain curriculum students need to follow. The only difference is that it is a residential and technology based scholastic program. The online school’s program adjusts with your child’s learning style instead of your toddler adapting to the curriculum. Your toddler gets maximum education at a time that is convenient for him. Hence, the flexible and structured curriculum meets his needs and wants.

Help Is Always Available

Since online home school is done through the internet, your toddler’s online teachers and the staff are always available. If in case your little one has trouble understanding a certain topic, an assigned teacher can easily assist him. Or, there are pointers outlined in the online home school’s website which your toddler can easily refer to for guidance.

More Lessons Are Accomplished

Online homeschooling adapts with your toddler’s preferred learning style. Plus, it offers various teaching techniques. Your toddler is able to give 100% of his attention which results to a speedier accomplishment of lessons. What typically takes up a week for a regular classroom to discuss, online home school can complete in just a few hours.

Uses More Attention Grabbing Learning Materials

Online home schooling does not rely on blackboards and endless lectures. Instead, it provides a hands-on experience for your toddler. There are audio books which helps him easily identify the numbers, colors and shapes. Taped language lessons allow him to follow the recorded voice making it effortless for him to pronounce words correctly. Colorful online activities are given which makes it easier for your little one to solve simple math problems. Even science projects are given.

Easy Lesson Retention

Your toddler can participate in online discussions that provide him extra information about certain topics. He gets to rehearse and relay all his learning’s with other online home schooled students as well. This allows him to retain all his leaning’s which efficiently helps him study, finish his homework and readings. Because lessons are easy to remember, he will no longer have a hard time answering his tests.

With the choices available, online home schooling is able to accommodate your toddler’s preferences. He gets the best quality education outside the classroom sans the pressure.

Each person learns differently. For your toddler, a certain learning style may work on his playmate but may not work on him. He may learn best when lessons are orally done, through visual representations, auditory lectures or through hands-on activities. Knowing which type of learning style your toddler can easily adapt to can help him engage better in the educational process which in turn increases his development more proficiently.

The learning styles of children must be able to work with them fittingly. Hence, implementing various techniques to help lessen your little one’s burden and increase the effectiveness of his learning style is essential. Here are some tips to help you improve your toddler’s preferred learning style.

Improving Your Toddler’s Learning Style

If your toddler’s learning style is…

Auditory

Since your little one functions best with sound, involve his playtime with audio learning materials. Read books aloud. Afterwards, you can hold discussions and lectures to help him internalize his learning’s better. Use nursery rhymes and songs to help him identify the alphabet, the different sounds of animals and so on. Because he is an auditory learner, music will help him retain what he has learned better. Instead of regular books, go for audio books with taped lessons. Encourage your toddler to compose his own song. Discuss his lessons with him. This will boost his retention skills and help him remember his lessons well.

Kinaesthetic or Tactile

If your toddler is a very bouncy tot who cannot sit still in one place for a period of time, what he needs is a hands-on experience. Utilize his short attention span with a lot of physically demanding activities. Cook his favorite food together. To practice his writing, let him write and rewrite his lessons. Use a whiteboard to make problem solving enjoyable. Go outdoors. Visit the park, the zoo or your town’s local science museum. Incorporate demonstrations by holding experiments. Give him a plant and assign him to grow and tend it. As the plant grows, he learns how it develops which makes him understand things better.

Visual and Nonverbal

Pictures, charts, maps and graphs are his best companions. He has to have a quiet space in the house where he can study peacefully. Buy coloring books or use flashcards to help him determine and visualize animals, numbers and shapes better. Print printable pictures and let him color it. Let him make his own visual aid (e.g. flow charts) to help him recap what he has learned. Go to toddler websites which have downloadable videos. Or, why not go out and see a child-friendly movie. This will surely entice him and satiate his wandering mind.

Visual and Verbal

If your little one learns best through verbal or written representations, maximize children’s books and textbooks. Let him write his own notes in an index card. The more written information he sees, the more likely he will memorize it. Install a blackboard at home or make a PowerPoint presentation filled with pictures and words. Give him a colorful marker which he can use to underline important parts of a book.

The secret to making the most out of your toddler’s learning style is to incorporate fun activities. The learning’s he will acquire not only helps him with his education but with his personal life as well.

Your toddler is old enough to start school. But, is he ready? To make learning effective, it is essential that your toddler is physically, mentally, emotionally and socially prepared. Getting your toddler kindergarten ready can be done by doing small things. As always, consistency will help him adjust and adapt easily to this new exciting stage in his life.

Starting school is one of the most imperative transitions in your little one’s life. Since school is a new environment for your toddler, he might still feel wary and anxious. Hence, it is your responsibility to ease his worries. Here are some easy tips you can apply to help your toddler get ready for kindergarten.

Preparing Your Toddler For Kindergarten

Boost Basic Skills

Your toddler must be physically prepared for kindergarten. Now that he knows basic skills, you need to exercise them to help improve his abilities. During his playtime, hold educational activities. Encourage him to draw, paint, write and read. Give him blocks and puzzles to help boost his problem solving skill. Incorporate physical activities during his playtime. Perform activities that let him practice how to climb the stairs, hop, jump, run, and walk with control.

Assign him to do simple household errands like putting his dirty clothes in the hamper, opening the mailbox, putting his toys back in the chest or setting the table. Make the most out of craft materials. Use clay dough, crayons, coloring books, paper, scissors and so on. This will build hand-eye coordination and increase his motor and fine motor skills. To make it extra fun for your toddler, do these exercises together. With your assistance, he will be able to learn more efficiently.

Exercise Basic Lessons

By now, your little one knows how to count, read the alphabet and distinguish shapes. Expand his mind by doing fun indoor and outdoor exercises. Each time you go to the grocery store, let him assist you in putting the items in the counter. Tally the items together. When outdoors, go to the park and let him enumerate the things he see. Hold a car counting contest. At home, use his blocks to identify colors or let him arrange it in size order.

Practice Independence

Your toddler needs to be aware by this time. Train him to memorize his basic information (e.g. his full name, age, address, name of parents and contact number) in case of any emergency. If he finds it difficult to remember all these information, leave your calling card in his bag or pocket. Teach him to clean up on his own. Train your toddler to do simple things without any assistance like reading his own name, dressing himself, tying his shoes, going to the bathroom, washing his hands and blowing his nose.

Improve Social Interaction

Your toddler will interact with a lot of children his age in kindergarten. Hence, introducing him to different people will prepare him to socialize well with his peers. Encourage your toddler to play outdoors. Invite his playmates over. Have an afternoon of movie marathon. Round up your neighbors’ kids and do fun-filled activities such as a puppet show or an arts and crafts workshop. Divide them into teams. Or, you may enroll him in a sports class or summer camp. This will train him to be comfortable working with a team. Plus, he learns how to socialize and deal with different personalities. He learns the value of giving, sharing and listening.

Visit The School

To ease out the fear of your toddler, take a tour of his soon-to-be school. Visit a couple of weeks before his school starts so he is able to get a good feel of this new environment. Introduce him to his teachers. Attend the orientation seminar together. Let him play in the school’s playground so he gets to socialize with other toddlers. Stop over classrooms, libraries and other parts of the school building.

Have a Heart to Heart Conversation

While yes you are also anxious for his first day in kindergarten, never express your anxiety to your toddler. This will only scare him and increase his panic. Share your own happy kindergarten memories. Explain to him why he needs to go to kindergarten. Tell him about all the fun activities he can do every day, the friendly teachers, the friends he will make, his Justice League school bag and the supplies he will be using and finally, the food he wants to eat for lunch and snack time.

School for children consists of a uniform, classmates, teachers, canteen and the playground. But, what if your toddler is being home schooled? Will your little one still be able to get the same education? Can he balance learning and play with all the free time he has? Yes, indeed he can. By having a method and using the right techniques, you can ensure your toddler gets the best education and even more.

Homeschooling children is very different from going to a regular school. For parents, it is not an easy decision to make. It may or may not suit the family. But, if your toddler needs special care or you feel being home schooled is best for your little one, making it work is easy. To help you out, here are some tips gathered from moms whose kids are home schooled as well.

Be Ready

Before starting off homeschooling your child, first, you need to prepare yourself. This is a big role and a huge responsibility to take. Realize that what is most important is for your toddler to get the best education he deserves. Second, as your little one’s teacher, being capable in handling his problems and in giving lessons is necessary. Homeschooling your toddler is like a full-time job. You need to be 100% free from any commitment to make sure you can give all your attention. Third, you need to mold it into your family’s lifestyle to help avoid any conflict.

Next, you need to know the legalities of homeschooling. Figure out what your state requires, what the rules are about homeschooling. Determine if you need to register yourself as a private school. Check if your state obliges you to take tests to gauge how capable you are.

Determine The Best Learning Style of Your Toddler

To help you recognize the best home school teaching method for your toddler, recognize your toddler’s needs as well as his strong and weak points. Here are some examples of home school teaching styles:

• Complete Online Curriculum Package. Best for parents and toddlers who are still new to homeschooling. The package contains books, activities, reviewers, test papers and a teaching guide. Packages may also require you to e-mail your toddler’s work to an assigned teacher who will correct and grade your toddler’s work.
• Charlotte Mason. This teaching style lets your toddler learn by narration or telling back what he has learned. You use the best books, art and music as your teaching aid. Charlotte Mason has a unique style in educating your little one how to correctly pronounce and spell words. Tests are done through an essay-style examination.
• Montessori. Focuses on immersion of different cultures. More of an experimental learning instead of the standard classroom teaching approach. Hands-on activities are used in teaching toddlers which is good in helping toddlers retain their learning’s.
• Waldorf. Focuses on the overall development of your toddler by using the head, hands and heart. Boosts your toddler’s artistic, mental and spiritual skills.

Collect School Materials

Just like in a regular school, you need to have all his learning essentials ready. Buy books about different topics, read along Cd’s and a headphone. Papers, pencils, scissors, crayons, coloring books, blank canvases, paint, clay dough, flash cards, puzzles and blocks. To add formality, have a medium-sized blackboard hanged in the wall, a table and a chair so he feels comfortable.

Have Variety

Test papers, recitations and reading exercises can be boring for your toddler. Look for hands-on activities. A science project, cooking or gardening lessons or even hosting a field trip will help your toddler enjoy. Or, you can also hold an outdoor class. Use his favorite toys as school materials. These are excellent tools to make him easily understand his lessons. Plus, this will keep him interested.

Do Not Eliminate Playtime

Since he is home schooled, your toddler’s time depends on your hands. Do not consume all of his time learning new lessons. Have break time’s in between classes. Let him eat his snacks. Allow him to take a nap in the middle of the day. After his lessons, let him play outside. This prevents your toddler from shying away from his peers and from becoming a loner. During weekends, spend the day out. He needs as much social interaction he can get. Lastly, at the end of each day, talk to him as a parent not as a teacher. In this way, you give him breathing room to relax and enjoy.

Education is anyone’s stepping stone to success. For toddlers, they spend most of their time learning. At a young age, they are immersed in their surroundings as well as the people around them. But, learning is beyond playing. That is why, your precious one needs an upbeat early childhood education which he can benefit from in the future.

Early childhood education is becoming more customary these past few years. Parents are more encouraged to give their toddlers early education due to the fact that this program is an excellent helping hand as they begin their schooling.

The Pros of Early Childhood Education to Your Toddler

Prepares Your Toddler’s Mind For Formal School

Going through early childhood education allows your toddler to jump-start his learning for his preschool and elementary days. This program also serves to be the perfect ground for his preparation to formal education. Since early education is all about incorporating learning and free play at the same time, your toddler gets to develop and increase his social, cognitive, fine motor and mental skills at an early age. When school time comes, he will no longer be shocked or have a hard time adjusting to his new environment.

Improves His Overall Skills

At this age, your toddler needs all the assistance he can get to help him master reading and writing. Early childhood education consists of numerous reading and writing activities. Interactive stories helps your toddler how to read and how to comprehend properly. He also learns how to distinguish basic lessons such as the alphabet, animals, numbers, colors and shapes. During art class, your toddler gets to enhance his writing. He is able to do different arts and crafts which can help bring out his capabilities. In addition, your toddler will be able to pronounce simple words correctly and increase his vocabulary.

Plus, all the free play activities give him the opportunity to develop his fine motor and motor skills which develops dexterity and coordination skills. Not only is his mind nourished but as well as his body.

Enhances His Social Interaction Skills

Early childhood education introduces toddlers to other toddlers. Since this program is mainly about educational play, your toddler gets to appropriately relate with his peers. Your little one gets immersed with children his own age. This is beneficial because it will allow him to learn the value of sharing, taking turns and listening. Being socially competent also allows him to function better during his teenage and adult years. He adapts a more cheerful, positive and friendly personality which are essential in building relationships with others.

Patterns Your Toddler’s Educational and Personal Success

Early childhood education gives your toddler consistency which is imperative in building a solid foundation for his education. He gets to learn good habits and form patterns which helps your little one accomplish immense educational success. As his second mentor, the values you instil in him will be strengthened by the people (teachers) assisting your child. This helps develop his personality and mold his character.

Having an early childhood education produces a strong foundation for your child’s learning. It helps mold your toddler’s development – from the physical, emotional, mental and cognitive aspect, you can be sure each area is covered.

It is easy to get caught up with all the demands being made on your time. But, as a parent, it is your obligation to see to your toddler’s welfare especially when he starts going to school. Your involvement in his school is one of the most important things you can contribute to his development. Plus, research has shown that parents’ involvement in education improves student behaviour and participation. After all, what your toddler wants is to see you happily supporting him.

Getting involved in your toddler’s school need not be done on a daily basis. It can be as simple as making regular visits to his school, doing volunteer work or being updated with the latest news and developments.

How to Get More Involved In School

Higher grades, better social skills and an improved behaviour, these are some things you wish for your toddler to achieve. Your school participation causes a big impact to help your toddler accomplish all these. Here are a few suggestions on how to get parents involved in school.

Get to Know The Right People

The principal, teachers, coaches, school counselors and directors should be at the top of your list. Introduce yourself and make an effort to get to know the school’s staff every school year. When you drop off or pick up your toddler in school, take a few minutes to talk to the right people. Ask them questions. By doing so, you get to be updated with your child’s performance in his class. Exchange contact information so in case of any concerns, you can easily contact his teachers or the administrators for help.

Attend The PTA

Parent Teacher Association meetings serve as the excellent ground for getting involved in his school. Even with a busy schedule, find an hour or two to join the PTA. You get to meet other parents who you can relate to. Your toddler’s local school association can keep you updated with the latest happenings around the campus. You can even join and raise funds for materials and projects for the school.

Do Volunteer Work

Volunteering not only helps the school but it also helps you build a network involving other parents and teachers. You will also become more aware of how well he performs in school. Volunteer in your child’s class. Teachers always welcome help especially from parents. During your free time assist his teacher with projects. Read to the class. You can even make class decorations or prepare needed materials for class projects at home. Volunteer to tutor students. Act as the chaperone during your little one’s school field trips, sport fest and family events.

Join A Network For Parents

If your toddler’s school has a parent center, actively participate in it. A parent center serves as a place for parents where they can hold weekly meetings and tackle different issues about their children and the school. Hold various fundraising events or programs that can help improve the students’ involvement.

Sign Up For Online Monthly Newsletters

If you are too busy to be physically present to offer help, you can still get involved by signing up for his schools monthly newsletters. Through e-mail and the school’s website, you can still help whenever you are available. In this way, you still get to be updated with the latest happenings, issues, developments and future plans of the school.

Help Him With His Homework

The easiest way to be involved in his school is to help him accomplish his assignments and projects. Take him to the library to help him with his science research. Assist him in his painting project. Solve math problems together.

Your active involvement in your toddler’s school helps you show your dedication to your toddler’s education. Your support helps your child focus more, giving him the best learning experience.

The big question of whether or not to pursue early childhood education is one of the many issues parents of toddlers consider. These days, a lot of parents send their children to school at an early age. In particular, moms and dads might be thinking about the option of day care and preschool. But, the question remains, which option truly maximizes a toddler’s potential?

To send your toddler to a day care or preschool is one tough decision to make. As a parent, you want what is best not only for your little one but as well as for your family. Although both are synonymous, each of these options present diverse advantages and disadvantages. To help you out, here is a comparison for day care vs. preschool.

Day Care or Preschool – A Comparison

Day Care

Day care, also known as childcare entails the supervision of a toddler during the day by another individual other than the legal guardians (parents) of the toddler. It acts as a program wherein parents who work can entrust their toddlers to professional child handlers. Childcare can be given at the toddler’s home where a nanny is responsible for the toddler’s welfare. It can also be done in nurseries such as day care centers where qualified and highly trained caregivers are present. Its main obligation is to keep toddlers amused, well fed and rested. At the same time, it offers motivating activities that can help boost the overall development of toddlers.

Advantages

• At an early age, your toddler learns how to interact with his peers increasing his self-confidence.
• Through social interaction, your toddler’s speech and language development rapidly progresses.
• Motor and cognitive skills are boosted through the help of stimulating exercises.
• Safety and security is provided by this child friendly environment.
• Personal attention is being given, eliminating the chances of your toddler to feel neglected.
• Learns how to follow and obey simple rules.
• Helps your toddler adjust better in new environments.

Disadvantages

• 100% one on one personal attention may not be given due to the number of kids present in the day care.
• Style of childcare and way of discipline might be different from your own.
• Your toddler can easily acquire diseases and infections since children are less immune to viruses.

Why choose day care?

If you work long hours during the day, then getting your little one to go to a day care makes more sense. It is very practical since it has longer hours of operation as compared to preschools. If your toddler is still 1 or 2 years old, sending him to a day care is more realistic since playtime is still his preferred activity. Learning activities are incorporated into fun exercises that can help boost his mental, cognitive and physical development.

Preschool

A preschool targets toddlers who are between ages 2 to 5. A preschool involves a structured educational program that provides young toddlers a solid foundation for learning. It also functions as a preparation for kindergarten and elementary schooling.

Advantages

• More focused on learning rather than entertainment.
• Its curriculum is organized around a more definite educational approach.
• Has a smaller number of children per class ensuring one on one attention and care.
• Teachers are highly trained.
• Gains better exposure to different types of activities and materials, hence, achieving an optimized development at an early age.
• Thinking skills are honed which is essential to your toddler’s being.

Disadvantages

• Negative social skills can be acquired when not monitored properly.
• Can get sick more often due to unlimited exposure to viruses.
• Tuition fee is more expensive as compared to day care centers.

Why choose preschool?

If you want your toddler to be ready for the coming school years, enrolling him to a preschool can help him gain exposure to different types of activities and situations. He learns faster through the help of the preschool’s structured course. He gets to learn how to adapt, adjust and interact at an early age.

The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing between a day care and a preschool is how comfortable your toddler feels in his new environment. After all, your toddler will spend a lot of his time there. In this way, you get to be at ease that he gets all the right leisure and nurturing he needs even when you are away.

As always, your toddler functions best when at play. His creative mind continues to flow with countless possibilities day by day and what better way to use and maximize your toddler’s ingenious ideas than by letting your child play fun educational games. A lot of toddler development happens with these activities so see to it that your toddler takes advantage of it.

Toddler learning games are fun and wonderful. This keeps your little child entertained and interested. Beyond that, toddler games also polishes every skill of your toddler. Games allow him to develop in different areas such as – the physical, emotional, intellectual, cognitive and fine motor aspects.

The Top Toddler Learning Games For Your Kid

There are various educational games you can introduce to your toddler. Make sure that you let him play games that cover and help his overall development, one that allows him interaction. Here are some of the best toddler learning games:

Warm Up Games

When you start shifting from plain entertainment games to fun educational games, warm up activities must first be introduced to your child. In this way, you prevent him from getting confused and uninterested because of the new game play patterns. Together with your toddler, hold an activity wherein you circle out mistakes. For example, buy a book that allows your child to compare drawing A from drawing B and help him spot the differences. This peaks your tot’s interest and stimulates his brain allowing him to feel more challenged to complete his task and continue on to tackle other games.

Creative Mind and Body Games

Toddler learning games involving the mind and body entails your toddler’s full participation. Through the help of songs (e.g. lullabies, nursery rhymes such as When You’re Happy and You Know It, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, etc.) he learns things through play and is encouraged to discover different kinds of shapes, colors, sounds, the alphabet, etc. along the way.

Board Games

Board games are considered to be the best learning game for toddlers since it solidifies every skill of a child. It assists your toddler in recognizing and retaining what he has learned. The ability to identify alphabet, colors, numbers and shapes is enhanced making a huge impact with his visual and hearing perception. Get your tot a board game that is suitable for his age. Here are some examples of board games:

• Snakes and Ladders. An all-time favorite even of parents, this board game guides your toddler towards different numbers. It helps increase his agility and improves his fine motor skills. Great for your toddler’s early years (from 12 months to 18 months).
• Zingo. A bingo type of game that requires your toddler to match the picture to the words on the play card. This game improves your toddler’s matching and recognition skills as well as fine motor skills since the contestants need to compete in order to complete a particular line to be declared as the winner. Best played by toddlers from ages 1 to 2.
• Junior Monopoly. Another classic favorite amongst thousands of learning games, monopoly helps in developing your toddler’s math, reading and social skills. His sense of reasoning is also enhanced. Fit for toddlers from ages 2 to 3.
• Scrabble. Fit for older toddlers (ages 3 to 7), this type of learning game helps your toddler discover new words, corrects his spelling and language as well as his matching proficiency since he has to think of new words and match letters to words already written on one side of the board.

Puzzle Games

Whether it be a wood, jigsaw, foam or floor puzzle; puzzle games help your toddler develop the ability of being a problem solver. His ability to think things fairly, retain memory and immediately come up with a solution is increased.

Online Educational Games

Another popular learning technique, learning games found in the web helps your toddler become more dexterous. Playing learning games online helps you keep your toddler’s attention focused on a specific topic for long periods of time. Since most online games are animated and are equipped with audio and music, this effortlessly assists him to correctly identify objects and categories in a shorter time. His verbal and written skills are also enhanced.

Games always give toddlers a great time. Just remember to choose educational games instead of violent and rough games. In this way, you are secure that your toddler gets all the proper learning he needs.